1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tie breaker tool, and more particularly, a tool for snapping and then extracting a loop panel tie from a workpiece.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for various tools for manipulating wires and bars in concrete foundations have been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,473,578, Issued on Oct. 21, 1969, to McArdle et al. teaches a form tie breaker tool comprising aligned shank and blade portions suited for engagement with a form tie terminal loop protrusion on a cast wall surface, to transmit torsional forces applied to the shank for separation of the engaged protrusion from the wall, moderate structural variation of the blade portion of the tool accommodating adaptation of its operative principle to the removal of loop protrusions of diverse particularity. The tool blade, in one preferred form, is characterized by an arcuate slot engageable with the end of the loop and a laterally tapered nose insertable within a form tie supplement; in another form, the tool blade is characterized by a somewhat similar slot and an arcuate, generally wedge shaped, inner end.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,193,378, Issued on Mar. 16, 1993, to Ritter et al. teaches an apparatus for bending rod-shaped material to form concrete-reinforcement elements, having a frame for supporting a material feed device and having a bearer for bending members, which bearer is mounted on the frame so as to be rotatable about the axis of feed, is adjustable relative to the frame and is constructed as a material supporting table which is adjustable in a predetermined angular position relative to the frame, on which material supporting table a cutting device is provided upstream of the bending members in the material feed direction for cutting off the rod-shaped material from the line of material after the bending operation.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,196, Issued on Jul. 11, 1995, to Forrester et al. teaches a power tool for automatically tying intersecting rod-like members with wire, comprising a jaw assembly comprising a fixed jaw having an interior groove to receive wire, a moveable jaw having an interior groove to receive wire, the movable jaw being rotatable into a closed position abutting the fixed jaw, wire feed means for projecting wire through interior grooves for receiving wire prior to the wire entering the jaw assembly, the entrance groove guide being located between two tensioned blocks, an exit groove guide for receiving wire after the wire exits the jaw assembly, the exit groove guide being located between the tensioned blocks and oriented in such a manner so that the wire in such exit groove guide crosses the jaw assembly when the movable jaw is in the closed position, an entrance groove guide wire in such entrance groove guide, rotatable spindle means comprising a pair of cutter blades for cutting wire, wherein one of the cutter blades is rotatable, and means for twisting the ends of the wire after the wire has been cut, and motive means for operating the wire feed means and the spindle means.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,605,181, Issued on Feb. 25, 1997, to Vuong teaches a handheld wire twisting apparatus that can be readily applied to a working section of an elongated electrical harness to be twisted, operated to impart twist to the desired extent, then removed after the twist has been secured in the harness. It includes a housing with an integral handle. An internal cylindrical bearing surface defines a transverse axis and includes an inlet into a bearing cavity which is a hiatus in the bearing surface. A c-shaped cylindrical wire twisting head is journaled on the cylindrical bearing surface for rotation about the transverse axis and defines a transverse passageway for reception of a wire bundle to be twisted. The wire twisting head has a peripheral gap for reception of the wire bundle into the transverse passageway when the peripheral gap is coextensive with the inlet in the housing. A gear train is rotatably mounted between opposed plate members comprising the housing for rotating the head, selectively, in first and second directions about the transverse axis and a ratchet mechanism selectively preventing rotation of the head in the first and second directions. The wire twisting head includes a c-shaped cylindrical drive wheel, a c-shaped cylindrical socket member having a peripheral opening and adapted for releasable attachment to the drive wheel, and a diametrically extending wire engagement member fixed to the socket member and projecting toward the peripheral opening. Mutually engageable key means on the socket member and on the drive wheel releasably attaches the socket member to the drive wheel.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,860, Issued on May 19, 1998, to Greaves teaches a clamp for clamping two elongate members together, wherein one elongate member has substantially radial ridges, wherein the clamp includes a first clamp element having a first clamp surface; a second clamp element having a second clamp surface; and a member for securing the first clamp element to the second clamp element in a secured position with the first and second clamp surfaces facing each other, wherein the first and second clamp surfaces in the secured position define first and second channels for clamping two substantially elongate members, and wherein at least one channel of the first and second channels has a plurality of teeth spaced longitudinally along the channel and defining gaps therebetween.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,166, Issued on Sep. 7, 1999, to Doyle et al. teaches a wire tying tool having a set of movable talons for channeling a loop of hard wire around a rebar joint or other object(s) to be tied with a wire knot at high speed; a heavy duty wire drive with a pullback feature to retract the loop under tension to tighten the loop around the joint; a clutch-controlled retractable reel to hold the tension on the hard wire on the reel; a spinner/cutter that extrudes a knot by turning, kinking, and cutting the wire (holding the cut ends under tension) and then spinning in complete revolutions to twist the wire into a knot while drawing the spinner away from the work surface. In a preferred embodiment a single reversible motor powers each of a wire drive, a talon drive and a spinner drive; logic and control elements control a sequence of operations of the various drives.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. D416,566, Issued on Nov. 16, 1999, to Perez teaches an ornamental design for a tool for bending rebar, as shown and described.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,668,872, Issued on Dec. 30, 2003, to Williams et al. teaches form tie breaking tools which include first members, second members and third members. Each member includes a first end and a second end. In particular embodiments, the second member is attached to the first member at either of the second end or between first and second ends of the first member. The third member is attached to the remaining of the second end or between the first and second ends of the first member. Second and third members are attached to the first member approximately parallel to one another. Each third member first end has a form tie engaging member attached. Each form tie engaging member includes a first end and a second end and the form tie engaging member is substantially perpendicularly attached to the third member.
A NINTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,030, Issued on Feb. 14, 2006, to Williams teaches a bending tool for bending rebar, rod, pipe, tubing and/or any other suitable material, comprising: at least one base, and; at least one lever-handle further comprising a user-end and a pivot-end and; a pivotal means for connecting the base and the pivot-end of the lever-handle with rotational freedom, and; a means for bending disposed on the pivot-end of the lever-handle. Optionally, a pre-measure base and protractor or angle indicator may be also used. The lever-handle may be removed and used independently as a pry-bar to reposition protruding rebar from hardened concrete in the wrong location and for other prying-type uses.
It is apparent now that numerous innovations for various tools for manipulating wires and bars in concrete foundations have been provided in the prior art that are adequate for various purposes. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, accordingly, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.